UK electronic travel authorisation (ETA)

What the UK ETA is

An ETA lets a visitor travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family or certain other reasons ¹. GOV.UK says an ETA does not guarantee entry ¹. The holder can travel as many times as they like during its validity ².

The Home Office caseworker guidance says section 75 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 gives the legal basis for the ETA requirement. The detailed processing rules sit in Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation of the Immigration Rules ³.

Who needs an ETA and who does not

GOV.UK says most visitors need an ETA or a visa, depending on nationality and purpose of travel. People from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada and certain other countries usually need an ETA rather than a visa ¹. Each traveller needs their own ETA, including babies and children ¹.

People with a British or Irish passport do not need one. People with permission to live, work or study in the UK are exempt ¹.

Travellers who pass through UK border control at an airport before an onward journey need an ETA ¹. The caseworker guidance of 3 August 2026 says airside transit passengers are temporarily exempt and that this exemption is under review ³.

Cost and how to apply

The official application costs £20 through the UK ETA app or online. GOV.UK says there is no refund after an application is made ². GOV.UK warns that other websites may charge more and advises travellers to avoid sites that imitate government services ¹.

• Use the UK ETA app to scan the passport and face with a phone camera, or apply online by uploading a passport photo and a face photo ².
• Have the passport you will travel with, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay ².
• A decision usually arrives by email within a day but can take up to 3 working days ².
• An application can be made for someone else. If that person is not present, the application must be made online ².

Fee changes

The Local, in a report by Conor Faulkner on 7 February 2026, said the Home Office planned to raise the ETA fee from £16 to £20 from 8 April. The same report said the fee had risen from £10 to £16 in 2025 ⁴. GOV.UK listed the fee as £20 in October 2026 ^1,2.

Rollout by nationality

The Home Office opened the scheme in four stages, according to its caseworker guidance ³.

Refusals and review

The caseworker guidance lists mandatory refusal grounds. They include exclusion or deportation orders, a custodial or suspended sentence of 12 months or more, a conviction in the last 12 months, past immigration breaches, false representations and a previous refusal as a visitor ³.

The guidance says there is no right to administrative review or appeal against an ETA decision ³. GOV.UK says a refused applicant needs to apply again ². Applicants granted an ETA through a solely automated process can ask for a human review within one calendar month of the grant. Refusals are always made by a human decision maker, the guidance says ³.

Jordan was removed from the eligible list on 10 September 2024, when its nationals became visa nationals ³.